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What was your week old like when feeding? Please help.

WonderWoman27WonderWoman27
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

I'm kind of going out of my mind right now.  My LO will be a week tomorrow.  All she wants to do is BF.  I think half of it is soothing to her and half of it of course she needs to eat.  But, when the only thing that calms her down when she is crying is latching her onto my breast is that a problem?  

My pedi says to try 10 minutes on each breast but still feed on demand.  My DH is worrying me cause he is saying maybe she's always on your breast cause she's always hungry cause she's always on your breast and you're not producing enough milk for her.  Does anyone else's LO feed on your breast almost 24/7?  (at this age)  If she's not sleeping and not being changed, she's on my breast.  

I kind of feel like I'm going crazy.  Not sure what to do.  My MIL and doula say to keep comforting her on my breast if that makes her feel better.  My DH says to listen to the pedi and only do 10 min on each breast.  I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO.  I feel so desperate.  I'm crying all the time cause I don't know if what I'm doing is right/wrong.  My DH is kind of getting annoyed with me.  If anyone has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it.

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Re: What was your week old like when feeding? Please help.

  • qtpa2tqtpa2t member

    Let's remember something:  A week ago, your baby had a constant supply of food, warmth and comfort in the womb.  Now, she's trying to figure things out as much as you are.  What she knows is that she's hungry, that she's uncomfortable (i.e., diaper change or gas), and to sleep.  When my LO was a week old, yes, she did eat almost non-stop.  FWIW, I've never gotten the 10-minute thing to work quite that exactly, and even when I was tracking it more closely, that "10 minutes" of eating was interspersed with a few minutes of falling asleep, a few minutes of burping, a diaper change, etc.  Listen to your MIL and doula to keep feeding and if necessary, comforting her.  When else in her life is comforting her by BFing going to be possible?

    This is what I wish I had known and told my husband:  I will take care of the baby.  He should take care of me - make sure I had a constant supply of water, food at regular intervals (and more frequent than we usually ate), and then an occasional break in between feedings when he should hold her as well as change her, etc.  It's not that he had no role with the baby.  It's just that my role feeding her was more critical at that point.

    Stay strong!  This phase passes! 

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  • liza0828liza0828
    That is SO normal at that age.  They haven't learned yet how to be efficient feeders.  When your LO is a bit older, 10 minutes on each side may be sufficient, but at one week my DD was on the breast constantly.  Keep in mind that your pedi is a generalist... not a breastfeeding expert.  I would talk to a lactation consultant if you are concerned, but it sounds like you are doing great.  Trust your mommy instincts!  Breastfeeding is incredibly demanding, especially in the first few weeks.  Hang in there!
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  • mopsiemopsie member
    I don't have a baby yet so this is all based on what I've been told by other breastfeeding moms... but if you only feed for 10 minutes, the baby gets the thinner foremilk which doesn't have as many nutrients as the hindmilk, which comes later in the feeding.  If the baby keeps getting only foremilk, she'll keep being hungry.
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  • cmbeddcmbedd
    Let her nurse as much and as often as she wants...even if it's just for comfort.  It will build up your milk supply, and it's totally normal at her age. 
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  • pammi2003pammi2003 member

    The 1st two weeks were the hardest for me because she would wake up every 1 1/2-2 hours to feed, then she would fall asleep at my boob and when I tried to move her away she would scream bloody murder. I never slept, I never left the house, I barely had time for a shower but it's completely normal. Like the pp, your baby is trying to get used to the outside world.

    It will get easier, trust me.

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  • TacoBabyTacoBaby
    imageqtpa2t:

    Let's remember something:  A week ago, your baby had a constant supply of food, warmth and comfort in the womb.  Now, she's trying to figure things out as much as you are.  What she knows is that she's hungry, that she's uncomfortable (i.e., diaper change or gas), and to sleep.  When my LO was a week old, yes, she did eat almost non-stop.  FWIW, I've never gotten the 10-minute thing to work quite that exactly, and even when I was tracking it more closely, that "10 minutes" of eating was interspersed with a few minutes of falling asleep, a few minutes of burping, a diaper change, etc.  Listen to your MIL and doula to keep feeding and if necessary, comforting her.  When else in her life is comforting her by BFing going to be possible?

    This is what I wish I had known and told my husband:  I will take care of the baby.  He should take care of me - make sure I had a constant supply of water, food at regular intervals (and more frequent than we usually ate), and then an occasional break in between feedings when he should hold her as well as change her, etc.  It's not that he had no role with the baby.  It's just that my role feeding her was more critical at that point.

    Stay strong!  This phase passes! 

     

     Well said!!! 

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  • CalMum_MommaCalMum_Momma
    I think your pedi is CRAZY if they think your 1 week old should only eat for 10 minutes per side!!! Mine could take 30 minutes or more on one side then, and still 25 or more at times now at 2 weeks! He is getting quicker, but also still has days where he eats more frequently, somtimes like every 10-15 minutes (with the falling asleep in between). He will do that for a few hours, and the LC says it's those days that he is telling my body it's time to up the supply, and as frustrating as it can be, you just have to keep feeding them when they're hungry so they get what they need. At one week you have to trust nature to do its work. Feed that little one when it's hungry!!
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  • yourmomwreckedmybikeyourmomwreckedmybike
    When Charlie was about a week old, all he wanted to do was nurse. I was paranoid that he wasn't getting enough milk because he seemed like he was starving any time he was awake. If baby is hungry, feed them! You know they are getting enough milk when they have lots of wet and dirty diapers. Don't deprive LO of comfort or food and you both will benefit. Before my milk came in, I felt the same as you did. Charlie ate almost every 1-2 hours and it seemed like he wasn't getting anything. I was freaked out. But he had wet diapers so I tried not to get overwhelmed.
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  • KnittyKnitty

    It is totally normal, and your pedi and husband are wrong. let her stay on one breast until she comes off on her own or begins to fuss, then switch her, again until she begins to fuss or comes off, then back to the first breast. Repeat until she's satiated.

    https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html

    https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/foremilk-hindmilk.html

    https://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing.html

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